Batteries are commonly used as electrical energy sources. A battery contains a negative electrode, typically called the anode, and a positive electrode, typically called the cathode. The anode contains an active material that can be oxidized. The cathode contains or consumes an active material that can be reduced. The anode active material is capable of reducing the cathode active material. A separator is disposed between the anode and cathode. These components are disposed in a metal can.
When a battery is used as an electrical energy source in a device, electrical contact is made to the anode and the cathode, allowing electrons to flow through the device and permitting the respective oxidation and reduction reactions to occur to provide electrical power. An electrolyte in contact with the anode and the cathode contains ions that flow through the separator between the electrodes to maintain charge balance throughout the battery during discharge.
There is a growing need to make batteries better suitable for high power application. Modern electronic devices such as cellular phones, digital cameras and toys, flash units, remote control toys, camcorders and high intensity lamps are examples of such high power applications. Such devices require high current drain rates of between about 0.5 and 2 Amp, typically between about 0.5 and 1.5 Amp. Correspondingly, they require operation at power demands between about 0.5 and 2 Watt. It is also desirable for batteries to have a long service life (or in the case of some applications, such as digital cameras, be able to deliver a large number of pulses of energy).